Star Shaped Basket

This tutorial has step by step pictures showing how you can weave star shaped traditional plastic wire baskets that were common in India a couple of decades ago. (நட்சத்திர வடிவில் பிளாஸ்டிக் சரடு கூடை பின்னுவது எப்படி).

Things Needed

I have used 2 colors to make this basket. You can use as many as you want.

We will need a total of 40 pieces of wire (20 yellow and 20 green in my case). Each piece is 3 meters long. The tension of the wire has to be correct while making knots. If you are new, take 3.25 meters of the green wire as it travels longer distance.

Base of the basket

Now we will make the base of the basket (கூடை அடி போடுவது எப்படி).

This basket is different from the other two baskets that we saw earlier. Here we will be using running wire only for the base. The sides of the basket will be woven diagonally like the sling bag. After cutting the 20 pieces, I have used the remaining yellow wire as the running wire to make the base of the basket.

Leave 50 cms of running wire and start making knots with the running wire and cut wires. I will be adding 10 yellow wires followed by 20 green wires followed by 10 more yellow wires.

Continue adding the cut wires. Fold the cut wire into half and knot it with the running wire.

Begin adding the green wires.

After making 20 knots with green wire, add 10 more knots with yellow wire.

Allow 50 cms and cut the running wire. At this point, your basket’s base should look like this.

Important: The first line should be the middle line of the base. Subsequent lines in the base will be added on both sides of this middle line. Or you won’t have enough wire to finish one side of the basket.

Now we will weave the second row. Allow 3 inches of running wire and start making the square knots like shown below.

Now we have reached the end of the second line. Instead of cutting the running wire, turn it around and make a knot with the first line. You will see a triangle forming.

Go around the middle line (first line) and make another knot to start the 3rd line. You will see the second triangle now.

Close up view. This will be the first knot of the 3rd line.

You will see 2 triangle shaped spaces in between the knots. This means we have successfully turned the corner on this side of the basket.

Continue the 3rd line.

We have now reached the end of the 3rd line.

Just like we did on the other side, turn around and make a knot with the first line wire (middle line wire).

First triangle on this side has been formed.

To weave the next triangle shaped space, we have to make the running wire pass through the first knot in the next line. The picture below will help you understand this better.

We wont be making a knot but we will simply be making the wire pass behind the first knot. Now loosen the first knot of the second line and redo the knot while including the running wire inside the knot.

This is slightly tricky but don’t worry, the next two pictures are close up images and you will be able to see what I mean.

The picture (above) of the inner side of the basket shows the wire passing through the back of the knot.

On the outer side of the basket, it will come out like this.

Second triangle has been formed in this side. We have now turned the corners of the base and also completed 3 lines. The difficult part is over. The rest of the lines will simply be added in circles.

Continue with the 4th line as you would do in any other basket.

Your base will look like this at this point. There will be two short wires (50 cms) on the sides. They will be used only in the base of the basket. They won’t be used in the sides so they will be shorter than the rest of the wires.

You can see the corner of the base here.

Since we added 20 green knots in the middle, the standard practice is to have 20 lines in the base of the basket. So add 10 lines on each side of the first line of the base.

Weaving the sides of the basket

Now we have completed the base of the basket. We won’t be needing the running wire anymore. Leave 3 inches and cut it off.

Now take the 10th and 11th green wire and make a knot. It will be right in the middle of the basket.

Closeup view.

Like we did for the diagonally woven sling bag, we will continue to knot wires that intersect each other like shown below. This will create diamond shaped patterns in the basket.

Simply catch hold of wires that are intersecting each other and make a knot.

The diamond is growing. At the same time, can you see the corners of the basket getting pulled up? They are no longer sitting on the floor.

Green diamond is done. Continue to weave all the wires from this side.

You can see the yellow diamond forming above the green diamond.

One side is done. Like I mentioned above, the short wires on the sides of the first line of the base will not be used for the sides of the basket.

Repeat the same for the other side of the basket.

Second side has been completed.

Joining the two sides of the basket

Now we will join the two sides and also form the star shape.

Ignore the short wires and make a knot between the two sides. The hanging short wire (arrow) has to tucked in.

Continue making knots with all the green wires.

You can see the pointed star shape emerging. Repeat on the other side.

Once all the points of the stars are completed, tuck the excess wires in. Cut them at an angle and it will be easier to lace them through the knots.